Surface drains



M. A. SISK SURFACE DRAINS Jan. 29, 1957 Filed May 22, 1953 IKIVENTORUnited States Patent SURFACE DRAINS Martin A. Sisk, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application May 22, 1953, Serial No. 356,750

2 Claims. (Cl. 1s2-31 My invention relates to surface drains for use inthe floors of shower bath enclosures, roadways, decks of ships, floorsand roofs of buildings, and the like, to pro vide debris-excludingprotection at the inlets of drain openings or pipes. The structure ofthe invention will also find utility as a guard for pipes and openingsof any sort in which liquid is received, and in the operation of whichit is desirable to exclude solids of a size that might clog the opening,or the pipe leading therefrom.

In general, an outlet or floor drain of the type in mind consists in acup-shaped body that is installed within or below the floor orother'structure whose surface is to be drained, and the inlet of thebody is covered by a removable top or grate. The upper face of the grateusually lies flush with the surface to be drained. The body of the drainforms a belled terminus at the end of a drain pipe laid beneath orwithin the structure whose surface is to be drained.

In the usual prior structures the grate consists in a perforate cover ofmetal which rests at its periphery in a rabetted seat formed in the rimof the body of the drain, and most of the Water entering the drain doesso through holes or openings in the cover or grate located inwardly fromthe rim of the drain body, with the result that the flowing Water doesnot completely flush the inner surface of the side wall of the drainbody. Consequently, debris carried by the waste water tends toaccumulate on such surface of the drain body, especially just below thegrate, and between the seat in the drain body and the edge of the grate.The accumulated debris over a period of time decomposes, creating foulodors and unsanitary conditions. In order to cleanse such drains, it isnecessary to remove the grate and scrub or scrape away theaccumulations-manifestly an unpleasant task. An important feature ofthis invention resides in the elimination of these objectionableconditions.

My present invention comprises a drain structure having a peripheralslot whose outer edge is vertically aligned, or substantially so, withthe inner surface of the drain body. This slot is effective throughoutthe periphery of the drain body inlet, and the exposed internal surfacesof the drain body below the grate extend from this slot downwardly tothe drain outlet, or to the inlet of the drain pipe on which the drainbody is mounted, affording a clear unrestricted downsweep for the How ofthe draining water. No objectionable ledges, channels, or crevices arepresent in the structure, on which or in which debris may accumulate.

In accordance with my present invention, the peripheral slot is formedbetween spaced inner and outer peripheral portions of the grate body.

The application for these Letters Patent comprised acontinuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 288,774,filed May 20, 1952.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in plan of a drain structure embodying the invention;and

2,779,430 Patented Jan. 1957 Fig. 2 is a view of the drain structure invertical section, on the plane indicated at Il--II in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the drain body will be seen to comprise acasting 2 of iron, or of a more expensive metal, if desired. The drainbody is provided with a peripheral rim 3, within whose ambit the inletof the drain body is found. A grate 5 is positioned across the inlet, inthis case with the top of the grate flush with the surface 6 of thefloor or other surface to be drained. Extending downwardly from the rimportion 3, the side wall of the drain body comprises a verticalsuccession of smooth annular surfaces e, f, g and h, the latter surface(h) sloping downwardly and inwardly to an openingin this case a threadedopening i-which receives the terminal of the drain pipe (not shown), forconducting the drainage liquid to a sewer or other point of disposal.

While the inlet of the drain body is herein shown to be circular inplan, it will be understood that the form of such inlet may be square,octagonal, or of other desired contour.

The internal surface of the side wall of the drain body, extendingdownwardly from the rim 3 in a continuous series of smooth surface areas(6 to it) that fair with one another, provides a downsweep that isunobstructed, having no recesses or ledges in which, or upon which,drainage water, or sediment, or debris may accumulate. Cooperating withsuch internal surface of the drain body is a slot 7 formed within thegrate body.

The lower portion of the drain body has a radially extending horizontalflange 8 upon which the usual sub-floor membrane or flashing of lead ortar paper (not shown) is secured. This is a conventional detail ofconstruction, and for present purposes it need only be remarked that anyWater seeping from the floor surface 6 downwardly between the drain bodyand the adjacent body of the floor is caught on the membrane and drainedthrough weep holes 9 into the drain body.

The grate or perforate top 5 of the drain structure is in this case ofgeneral plate or disk-like form, comprising inner and outer peripheralportions 10 and 11, respectively. Within the inner peripheral portion 10spaced cross-bars or bearer bars 12 form the open-work body of thegrate, through which drainage liquid may enter the drain bodytherebelow. A feature of my structure consists in the provision of theperipheral slot 7 between the inner and outer peripheral portions of thegrate.

Extending radially between the said inner and outerperipheral portionsof the grate body is a plurality of relatively narrow radial lugs orspokes 13 that are widely spaced apart circumferentially of the grate,so that the slot 7, as far as flow of drainage liquid. into the drain isconcerned, forms a substantially continuous flushing opening which isperipherally coextensive with the downsweeping side wall of the drainbody. The spokes 13 are preferably cast integrally with the portions 10and 11.

The side wall portion of the drain body forms an inclined annular seatfor the support of the grate, and the bottom edge of the outerperipheral portion 11 of the grate is correspondingly inclined, toengage snugly such seat. It will be observed that the body of the outerperipheral portion 11 is snugly embraced by the side wall portion e ofthe drain body, whereby there is a positive opposition to any tendencyfor the grate to tilt when pres= sure or load is applied to the rim ofthe grate.

It is important to note that the outer peripheral portion 11 of thegrate in assembly forms in effect an element of the drain body rim 3;that is, the inner side surface 14 of the outer peripheral portion ofthe grate is substantially aligned with the internal surface of sidewall porthe surface g of the drain body a continuous downsweep.

The spokes 13 are of relatively small circumferential extent withrespect to the intervening slot 7 of the drain structure.

A large part of any liquid to be drained from surface 6 is received bythe slot 7', whence the liquid flows straight downwardly upon and; overthe unrestricted internal surfaces of the drain body below, therebyflushing such surfaces with a downsweeping flow of liquid that keepsthem clean. While the slot 7 is narrow enough to excludef'rom the drainsolids of a size that might clog the drain pipe, the area of said slotis so proportioned with respect to the aggregate area of the openingsbetween. the bars 12 that a large part of the liquid draining into thestructure enters by way'of the slot, thus'insuri'ng the desiredscavenging: or scouring flow of liquid'downwardly upon the unrestricteddrain body side wall;

If it is desirable to flush-out the drain pipe, and the trap associatedtherewith, with a bucket of water or a hose, it is not necessary, as inthe case of prior structures, to remove the grate, since an adequatelyrapid flow of water through the drain can be obtained to remove sedimentfrom the drain pipe and trap, if indeed sediment can collect when thedrain of this invention is used. My drain structure serves substantiallythe same purpose as the more costly flushing rim drains that areprovided with a hollow rirn into which water is piped under pressure.Furthermore, the tapping of such flushing water from city supply linesis undesirable because it necessitates cross connections with the citysupply, with the danger of back syphonage and contamination of the citywater.

While the drain body 2 is herein shown to consist of a single or unitarycasting, such body may be formed of a plurality of telescoped bodyportions, to afford vertical adjustment of the body, as described in mycopending application, Serial No. 356,748, filed May 22, 1953. Variousother modifications of the structure described may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a surface drain comprising a drain body provided with an inlethaving a peripheral rim, a peripheral side wall extending downwardlyfrom said rim to an outlet, and a grate supported in position across theinlet; the invention herein described wherein said side Wall is formedwith an internal surface that extends downwardly from the inner edge ofsaid rim to said outlet, providing a substantially continuous downsweepthat is smooth and substantially unrestricted throughout the peripheraland vertical extents of said side wall, said side wall including anannular downwardly and inwardly inclined seat formed integrally on theinside of the drain body within and below said rim, said gratecomprising a perforate body within an inner peripheral portion and anouter peripheral portion spaced outwardly from and united to said innerportion, the outer peripheral portion of the grate engaging said seat tosupport the grate across said inlet, the inner vertical surface of saidouter peripheral portion of the grate forming in effect an upwardcontinuation of that portion of the internal surface of the drain bodyside wall which is located immediately below said outer peripheralportion of the grate, the space between said inner and outer peripheralportions of the grate forming a relatively wide drainage slot thatextends in substantial continuity around the periphery of the drainstructure, whereby in service the entire internal surface of the drainstructure is flushed by an unrestricted downsweeping flow of drainagefluid.

2. In a surface drain comprising a drain body provided with an inlethaving a peripheral rim, a peripheral side wall extending downwardlyfrom said rim to an out let, and a grate supported in position acrossthe inlet; the invention herein described wherein said side wall isformed with an internal surface that extends downwardly from the inneredge of said rim to said outlet, providing a substantially continuousdownsweep that is smooth and substantially unrestricted throughout theperipheral and vertical extents of said side wall, said side wallincluding an annular seat formed integrally on. the inside of the drainbody within and below said rim, said grate comprising a perforate bodywithin an inner peripheral portion and an outer peripheral portionspaced outwardly from and united to said inner portion, the outerperipheral portion of the grate engaging said seat to support the grateacross said inlet, the inner vertical surface of said outer peripheralportion of the grate forming in effect an upward continuation of thatportion of the internal surface of the drain-body side wall which islocated immediately below said outer peripheral portion of the grate,the space between said inner and outer peripheral portions of the grateforming a relatively wide drainage slot that extends in substantialcontinuity around the periphery of the drain structure, whereby inservice the entire internal surface of the drain structure is flushed byan unrestricted downsweeping flow of drainage fluid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS977,860 Franklin Dec, 6, 1910 1,646,994 Decker Oct. 25, 1927 1,762,838Shand June 10, 1930 1,786,558 Boosey Dec. 30, 1930 1,809,413 HirshsteinJune 9, 1931 2,328,315 Warren Aug. 31, 1943 2,607,434 Sisk Aug. 19, 1952e-iiw

